Risk Assessment and Communication: Consensus Reports

The division produces 60-70 reports per year. These reports are unique, authoritative expert evaluations. Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review. The experts who volunteer their time participating on study committees are vetted to make sure that the committee has the range of expertise needed to address the task, that they have a balance of perspectives, and to identify and eliminate members with conflicts of interest. All reports undergo a rigorous, independent peer review to assure that the statement of task has been addressed, that conclusions are adequately supported, and that all important issues raised by the reviewers are addressed. Thus, while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy.

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As understanding of global change has evolved over the past decades, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has faced growing demands for actionable scientific information to help decision makers respond to changing climate conditions. In light of these challenges, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee to Advise the U.S. Global Change Research Program has written this report to explore mechanisms an...
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Characterizing and modeling fluid flow through fractured rock is vital to limiting the spread of chemical contaminants through rock features; for understanding where reservoirs of petroleum, water, or geothermal resources may form; and for engineering stable and resilient underground infrastructure. Over the past twenty years there have been significant advances in abilities to model and characterize these pathways, but significant challenge...
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Research in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean has yielded tremendous insights into the workings of our planet and the universe beyond. Much of this research is now becoming increasingly urgent as scientists seek to understand how the region may affect sea-level rise and other global-scale environmental changes. Informed by input from across the scientific community, this report offers a strategic vision to guide the U.S. Antarctic Program at th...
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Part of the conversation regarding National Flood Insurance Program reform is the prospect of a community-based flood insurance option--a single insurance policy for an entire community--which may be more effective and less expensive than administering separate policies for each property within a given community. This report identifies key issues and questions as "food for thought" for FEMA and Congress as they weigh both the possible benefit...
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Climate change is affecting the environment in ways that can have consequences for human health. Research on these impacts is active, with strong evidence to support some aspects and research still in progress for others. To synthesize and review research on this topic, the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has initiated an interagency Assessment on the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States. This report review...
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